Those were the days
by FreakingOutGirl
Summary: A relationship is made of moments, days, years... and their is no exception. They fought, cried, grew, laughed and loved together... They are a king and his princess, a healer and her warrior... A collection of shots that helps us dive into the many dimensions that compose Ichigo and Orihime's relationship.
1. The day when Orihime almost killed Isshi

_**The day when Orihime almost killed Isshin**_

* * *

Isshin was talking with his wife's portrait out loud, while putting food inside a picnic basket, whereas Karin was zapping through the channels, her finger quicker than a flash. They could hear Yuzu humming under her breath, inside the kitchen, cleaning the surfaces troughfully. Ichigo, however, was out of sight, until they heard steps coming from the upper floor, descending the stairs.

"Old man…" he called, stopping behind his father, with his hands inside his pockets.

"Yes?" Isshin replied, noticing the tone of his son's voice. He turned around to find the man with his eyes downcast and an unsure expression in his face.

"Can I bring another person today?" Ichigo asked.

"What?"

"I'm asking if any of you mind if I bring someone else, today, with us…" Ichigo replied, slower and looking at his sisters. Yuzu came from the kitchen when she heard his question and Karin stopped her mindless search.

"Who?" Isshin asked and Ichigo looked at him, surprised. Was he being obtuse on purpose?

"Inoue…" Ichigo answered and saw his father's expression blank, making him unsure of what was happening behind his dark eyes.

"Of course Orihime-chan can come!" the former captain finally said after some seconds of silence, turning around to continue ordering the basket.

Ichigo looked at his sisters and both of them nodded their confirmation. He sigh with relieve and grabbed the basket that his father was extending him.

"I still have to finish the cleaning!" Yuzu said, grabbing the cloth with fierceness.

"Yuzu, that kitchen is so clean we could eat from the floor!" Karin huffed, turning the TV off and arranging her clothes.

"Let's go! We have a lot to walk!" Isshin said, with his fist raised.

He headed the group, grabbing the knob and opening the door at the same time someone was going to knock on it, ending with the older man falling backwards and a horrified female squealing.

"Oh my god! I killed Kurosaki-san!" a girl murmured with panic.

Yuzu ran to help her father, while, behind her, Karin was pounding on the wall, tears of laugh falling from her eyes.

Ichigo looked beside the craziness around him to see an auburn-haired girl with her face incredibly red and tears of humiliation ready to drop from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me!" she pleaded, bowing profusely.

At hearing her panicked voice, Isshin jumped from the floor with a goofy smile, patting the young woman on the head.

"I was just kidding, I'm alright!" he said, while puffing out his chest and releasing a loud laugh.

"You idiot! She was really worried!" Ichigo grumbled, knocking on the head and circling him quickly.

"Let's go, they will catch us later!" Ichigo said, grabbing Orihime's hand and pulling her behind him, with her still bowing in regret.

"Tsk, don't worry. He is such a baby…" Ichigo said, when Orihime finally caught with his long strides.

"I didn't even have time to say good morning…" she replied and when Ichigo looked at her and saw how she was almost running to keep up with his longer legs he decreased his walking speed.

"Don't worry, you will have all day to say that. Believe in me, you will be sick of them by the end of the day…" the young man said, squeezing her hand.

"Don't say that! Besides, today is a day to be with your loved ones…" Orihime said, her big brown eyes shining with sadness.

"Hey, don't be like that. That's the reason I brought you too, okay? And I don't want to see you sad! We do this every year and finally you will see just how crazy my family is…" Ichigo said, while, behind them, they could hear the sound of the rest of the entourage talking.

"I brought something too!" Orihime said suddenly, noticing the basket in Ichigo's other hand. The boy looked at her with a blank expression, worried about what she might be talking about. "I hope she likes them…" and he saw her stopping to show him a basket full with different flowers.

"I'm sure she will love them…" Ichigo said softly, while his family joined them and peaked to see what Orihime had in her hands.

"They are lovely, Orihime-chan!" Isshin said, smiling softly at the girl. She nodded, relieved, protecting the flowers from the sun with a cloth.

The group started the last part of the road when clouds started to cover the sun. Orihime looked between the sky and Ichigo, biting her lower lip: she knew how much he hated the rain.

When they walked through the first row of white stones, Orihime inhaled deeply, ready to support any kind of reaction from the boy at her side when they reached their destination. Ichigo could notice her unease, but he thought of it as nervous at being with him here for the first time, rather than being worried about him.

"Hey mom…" Ichigo whispered, crouching in front of the tombstone. Orihime stood still, observing how his face opened in a sad smile, like the first time he told her about his mother, like the first time she saw him in June 16th, when Tatsuki told her his story. It was an expression filled with sadness and guilt, but at the same time, with such devotion it took her breath away.

"I brought someone today…" he was saying when the first drop fell.

Orihime looked up, seeing the grey clouds covering them and the water dropping at first slowly, but quickening suddenly. She looked around, to make sure no one was near and calling her fairies, she put her shield over them. Ichigo looked at her thankfully.

"As you can see, she is really resourceful… Just like you… Just like when you would take an umbrella out of nowhere whenever I lost mine…" Ichigo said. "And just like you, I love her very much…"

Orihime gasped at his words, but he didn't look at her.

"You know, she is like you in many ways… She is always happy and smiling; she makes everyone feel better when she smiles at them… She protects everyone, even putting her life in danger… and that's the thing she is so much like you that I'm scared I will lose her too…" Ichigo said and Orihime saw a small, lonely tear falling from his eyes. However, in the next second, he had that sad smile once again and there was no track of the tear.

When he remained silent, Orihime kneeled beside him and bowed.

"Hello, Kurosaki-san! I'm Inoue Orihime, your son's…girlfriend…" she said, blushing and Ichigo chuckled under his breath. "Hey, I'm talking with your mother here!" Orihime replied and seeing her fierceness, he had to stop himself from laughing out loud. "Well, as you can see, I can make him laugh, even when I'm not trying… I'm a bit of an airhead sometimes, but I worry about your son very much and do everything in my power to keep him safe, even when he doesn't hear my advices… I would like to thank you for having this wonderful son, because Kurosaki-kun makes me really happy and if I haven't met him I wouldn't be who I am today…" Orihime said, smiling at the tombstone, imagining the woman chuckling with her words. She didn't know why, but an image of Kurosaki Masaki laughing always warmed her heart.

"By the way, mom, can you make her stop calling me Kurosaki-kun? It's Ichigo." the carrot-top said, with fake annoyance and Orihime flushed again.

She looked at him and with her eyes downcast she said softly.

"Alright, Ichigo-kun…" and she smiled at him and it was like the rain was no longer falling. He found his sun once again, and could almost feel his mother giving this girl her previous job, while his body gravitated towards her, his heart binding with hers in an inexpressible way.

"I love you Orihime…"

* * *

**The shots will be independent chapters from each other, not following a time line, showing different faces of Ichigo and Orihime's relationship.**

**If you would like to see a special scene tell me in a review, but remember, I won't write cheating scenes or ones where they have a relationship with others, I'm 100% Ichihime, my friends, and can't write them like that!**


	2. The day Ichigo needed Ishida's help

_**The day Ichigo needed Ishida's help**_

* * *

"I'm not so sure about this..." Ichigo said, eyeing the black haired man in front of him.

"I'm not happy either, okay? It's not my favorite way to spend my day off teaching some moron!" Ishida replied, puffing with annoyance.

Between them, trying to create some kind of distance and peace in the meantime, Sado stood, with his heavy and massive body creating a shadow over them.

"Then go! I don't need your help! Go pester Tatsuki for all I care!" Ichigo said, pocketing his hands in a childish manner.

"Well, good luck trying to learn all by yourself!" Ishida huffed, turning his back on them.

"Wait!" Sado said, running behind the Quincy.

"I'm sorry, but I'm tired of his attitude. If he doesn't descend from his high horse no one can help him!" Ishida whispered furiously, observing the orange haired one pacing and grumbling under his breathe.

"He is nervous!" Sado tried to say, but his friend waved him away.

"_I know that_, but I also know he has to admit he needs help."

"If I were you, I would just knock him on the head." came another voice from the corner of the room.

"_Thank you Renji!_" Sado said slowly in a way that said he was clearly not helping.

"I don't understand, why is it so important that he learns this?" the red haired asked, while observing the pacing of the orange haired animal.

"It's a human tradition. You know Orihime would be disappointed, even if she said she wasn't." Hitsugaya said in a loud and clear voice, intended to be heard by everyone in the room and when Ichigo stopped walking around, he smiled, with his goal reached.

The two man looked at each other once again and Ichigo, sighing, closed the distance between them.

"I'm sorry. You were trying to help." he said simply, eyeing Ishida with part challenge and part desperation.

"Good, now let's restart!" Sado said, turning the music on once again, and patting both of his friends on the back.

"This is so strange." Renji commented, while Ichigo grabbed Ishida's hand and his waist. Beside him Hitsugaya nodded.

"Don't say that, you will have to do that too!" Sado said, nodding his head according to the music beat.

* * *

"Ichigo!" a breathy voice said, when he turned her around. She was smiling so much she was afraid that at the end of the night her cheeks would hurt.

"How did you learn?" Orihime asked, while her long white dress floated around her.

"Oh, well, I had some help from one of the bestmen..." Ichigo replied, with a smile.

"I have to thank Uryuu-kun then..." Orihime said, while Ichigo continued guiding her trough the waltz.

"How do you know it was him?" Ichigo asked.

"Who do you think was my teacher?" Orihime replied.

"And here I was, thinking you learned all by yourself." Ichigo said, in mock shock.

Orihime giggled and kissed him on the lips.

_**"Thank God I hadn't to teach that..."**_

* * *

**I know this wasn't such an IchiHime chapter, but a very important part of their relationship concerns their friends and how they interact with each others. I thought it would be really funny to imagine Ishida teaching Ichigo how to waltz so he could dance with Orihime in their wedding day. This won't be the only wedding chapter, I really want to show the ceremony per se, so in future it will appear again.**

**And the last sentence concerns Ishida seeing Ichigo and Orihime kissing if you are some kind of confused...**

**Once again, review and tell me what you liked or would like to see...**


	3. The day he tried to heal her and she let

_**The day he tried to heal her and she let him**_

* * *

She had to continue. Even if her lungs were on fire and the blood kept falling from her injuries.

Her eyesight was filled with shadows and her peripheral vision was starting to disappear, but right now none of it mattered.

The silence around her, the piles of rumble in the middle of her path told her enough about the destruction that happened in here. She just hoped all of her friends were alright until she could find them and heal the group.

However, she remembered how she saw him, the man that held her heart between strong fingers, fighting just minutes ago, when her own fight was almost done, his hair red with blood and his face wounded. And when their enemies disappeared almost at the same time, she knew he would need her, she knew he would be hurt in his haze to protect the biggest number of people he could. She could feel it in her heart, his proximity, like her own veins were claiming for him, like her system could feel his presence, no matter how much she had to walk.

"_Just wait Kurosaki-kun! I'm almost there._" she said repeatedly, like a mantra, inside her head.

She couldn't think about her own injuries, even if they brought tears to her eyes. He was the one that mattered now.

And when she finally reached the place and saw a group of people, black hair, red, brown, white, blonde, purple, surrounding a sitting man, orange hair, she felt like her heart was weightless.

She saw his head rising at the sound of her steps. And his eyes, of that luxurious brown of hot chocolate, shine at her sight.

And that's when she felt her knees buckle under her body and she braced herself for her encounter with the floor. However, when her fall ended, she found herself resting against a kind of hard and warm surface that moved softly with a cadence. But more than those sensations, she could feel the scent, _his scent_. _Of chocolate, just like his eyes._ A scent she learned to recognize from the first time she met him, a scent that helped her knowing when he was near, even before she was able of sensing his reiatsu.

"Kuro... saki... kun..." she breathed with relieve.

"Yes, it's me, Inoue." he whispered against her temple. And she felt his warm and calloused hands touch her face. "Now rest, you fought too much already."

"No... I have... to heal... Kuro... saki-kun... and To…shi…ro-kun and Ran..." Orihime mumbled, tired and sleepy.

"Silly girl, you are the one that need care…" Ichigo said softly, while pulling her bangs away from her face.

"No, I'm… a healer… And I have to heal!" and she tried to rise from her kneeling position, against his body. However, his arms stopped her and Ichigo caged her against his frame.

"No, Inoue! Please, for once, let us… _me_… heal you! You protected all of us today, let me protect you now… Trust me…" he begged, squeezing her hand and touching softly, with his lips, the crown of her head.

Orihime sighed against his shoulder, her nose immersed with his homely scent, making her feel dazed and tired, _oh so tired_, but so comfortable… and when her eyes closed and her breathing pattern softened, Ichigo grabbed her body bridal style and with her over his arms walked towards the rest of his friends.

"Don't worry, I will take care of you…" he said, in his face a warm and contemplative smile, while his body warmed in contact with hers.

_This time he would keep his promise!_

* * *

**_So did you like it?_**

**_Since normally Orihime is the one welcoming Ichigo after a battle, I thought it would be sweet if this time it was him that was expecting her. I could see this happening after the Quincy War, with Orihime playing an important part in Urahara's strategy and fighting along the rest of the group and protecting them from major attacks._**

**_Keep your reviews coming, they help me understand what you enjoyed and what not, and how I can improve my story._**


	4. The day they observed each other

**_The day they observed each other_**

* * *

The man was still trapped between the realm of dreams and the world of reality. Not really asleep, but not fully conscious of his surroundings. So, when his wondering hand touched something soft that shouldn't be there and his body realized a weight over his chest, he almost jumped in surprise. Luckily, before he had time to grab his combat pass _that something_ mumbled and that sound, so soft, so peaceful, made the memories of the last hours come crashing down into the forefront of his mind. He smiled leisurely, his hand roughing his hair with a smile over his face. He felt so content, so in peace, that when he opened his eyes and saw her, he understood what heaven might feel like.

She was using his chest as her pillow, her small hand sprayed over his stomach and her auburn hair looking like a cloak over her back. He felt mesmerized at the sight. It was like he couldn't breathe, it was like every particle inside the division stopped moving just to watch her sleep. He noticed how her nose moved repeatedly, making her look like a rabbit, and he had to stop himself from laughing out loud imagining what his friends, especially Rukia, would think of that comparison.

It was surreal how normal it felt waking up beside her when it just happened for the first time. He could easily see himself doing that for the rest of his life, if she let him, if she accepted him, if he was not a moron and screw this up. _Yeah, he had to work on that last part_, making sure she would never regret the moment she let him kiss her for the first time, the moment he felt his hand grab hers, the moment she accepted his heart to give hers in return.

"Yes, Orihime, I will make sure your life is full of happiness." he whispered, kissing the crown of her head, the part of her body he could reach without disturbing the sleeping woman.

He stroked her hair with his hand and closing his eyes again, releasing a sigh, he let his mind blissfully rest once again.

* * *

She felt something under her fingers, something hard and warm. She cracked one eye open, ready to find herself sleeping on her rug when an impossible quantity of skin appeared in front of her shocked face.

The woman opened her two eyes the most she could and rising her head found herself sleeping over a very knocked out and very naked Ichigo.

_How did they end up like that?_

_Oh!_ Her mind filled with images from last night and she felt her cheeks steaming up. _They did it! They really did! And she felt so happy!_

Now that the shock was wearing off, she could really feel what it meant to wake beside him and it was something so warm, so loving, that she wished the time could stop and they could stay like this, blissfully unaware of the world outside.

While asleep, Ichigo looked nothing like the fierce warrior she knew he was, he looked so innocent, so childlike, that her heart squeezed in a painful manner imagining how his life could be different if such responsibilities weren't trust upon him. She touched his shoulders, always so tense, but now, finally resting, even if it was only for some more hours.

She could watch him all day and she was ready to do exactly that, when...

"Are you going to stare at me all day?"

"I-I-Ichigo-kun! I thought you were asleep!" she stuttered, and he chuckled.

"And I was, but when my chest warmer decided to disappear I felt cold." Ichigo said and Orihime giggled, scratching the back of her head.

His eyes jumped immediately towards the skin she was displaying and with a playful pat of her hand, he chuckled.

She sighed and let her body fall backwards. He scooted closer to her, his arms hugging her frame.

"It's good, isn't it?" he whispered and she nodded, the implications left in the air.

Oh, he so wanted to ask her right now and there, but he had to find the right moment first, and only then he would ask her, with the right words and the right ring to compliment his right girl.

* * *

**What can I say, I really love these private sweet moments between them. Please, review! Thank your for reading! ;)**


	5. The day the boy gained some help

_**The day the boy won some help**_

* * *

The young boy couldn't understand how his mother passed from a thin woman, so delicate he was afraid she could break someday, to resemble one of the whales he saw over at the zoo, _not that he would ask that out loud after the talk his dad had with him concerning his comparisons of his mom with big animals_. But, still, even if his dad explained that that change was a natural thing for a pregnant woman he was still shocked every morning she appeared still showing that huge belly.

**_When was that huge thing going away?_**

He could see how tired his mom was, how she tried to suppress the moans of pain while sitting, standing up or in any imaginable position. And if there was something he couldn't stomach was his mother in pain. So, he started helping her with everything he could, since making his bed to clean his room more often and even helping his father with dinner and whenever he caught his dad's eye during one of those actions he would find a huge proud grin over his face, so he would smile too and ask how it was, and without a beat, the man would rise from the floor and hug him, to the boy immense contentment.

But one morning everything changed.

The boy woke up to the sound of running steps and to his father yelling, while in the background the sound of his mother's grunts of pain echoed through the house. He was so scared that for some moments he couldn't move his small body to go and find out what was happening. Luckily, when he was jumping from his bed, his bedroom door opened and a peaceful sight appeared.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright!" the man said, disarraying the boy's already messy hair.

"Is mommy in pain, grandpa?" he asked, his eyes filling with tears.

"Your mommy is in a bit of pain, but that is normal. In a few hours you will have a baby sister, aren't you happy?" his grandfather replied and the boy shook his head.

"Not if mommy is in pain!" he said with an angry expression. "The baby shouldn't hurt her! It's her mommy too! You can't hurt your mommy!" and the man saw that fighting stance his son had as well. _Like father like son_ couldn't be more appropriated than right now.

"Well, when a baby is born the mother feels a bit of pain, but it's a good one, do you know why?" and the boy shook his head once again.

"Because, the baby can feel that his mom is hurting so, from now on, he or she would do anything to protect their mommy! And the mom will be so happy for having such a brave baby she will love it for the rest of her existence!"

"Then, I hurt mommy too?" the boy asked in a hushed voice and the man nodded.

"Yes, but your mother loves you more than anything in this world and will love your sister too, because you are her treasures, the beings she holds above everything..." the man sighed.

"Even daddy?" the boy asked, surprised.

"Even daddy..."

"_C'mon, old man!_ Orihime is probably having the baby already!" a voice suddenly said from the hallway and the boy crooked his neck to see his aunt walking inside his room.

"Katsuo, are you ready to meet your sister?" his aunt asked and he looked at her with veiled eyes.

"Yes, we have a lot to discuss..." the boy said with a business-like expression. "About mommy's safety! I have to teach her everything to keep mommy safe!" he explained with a directive expression in his eyes.

"Geez, could you be more like Ichigo?" she asked with sarcasm.

"You are right, I have to ask daddy to train me!" the boy said, turning his back on them and starting to arrange his clothes.

The two adults were left speechless, their mouths hanging open, while they watched the boy trying to put inside his backpack a book about martial arts given by his godmother, right followed by a toy sword from Zaraki Kenpachi.

* * *

**I know, we don't have Ichigo or Orihime in this one, but I wanted to show how they influenced their kid in becoming the best he can so he could protect his loved ones, just like his parents do. And I really love the image of Kenpachi giving a sword to Katsuo, imagine Ichigo's face! **


	6. The day a promise was made

_**The day a promise was made**_

* * *

She couldn't stop the tears from falling. Now that she was alone, kneeling in front of the tombstone, she could be weak. She could finally drop the mask of the strong mother and grandmother, and she would cry like a woman that lost her husband five days ago.

She had felt him during the service, even if he tried to suppress his reiatsu. But she knew, she always knew when he was nearby. She could feel that warm feeling that only his proximity could bring her, his scent evolving her senses and she had to fight with herself to stop from running to find him; she understood how things worked, he was no longer alive and it would only hurt her even more seeing him, but not being able to be with him.

"See, Ichigo, I kept my promise!" she said, her white hair in a braid along her back. "I didn't follow you right away. I helped our children and our grandchildren understanding that it was your time... But... _It hurts so much_, seeing you there, so quiet, you were never quiet... You were always doing something, helping someone, even when your back cracked with each movement... _Why couldn't you wait for me? Why did you have to go?_ You and your stubbornness, always trying things first so I wouldn't be scared to go after you! _Why?_ I need you..." she could no longer stop the tears from cascading down her wrinkled cheeks. Her sobs echoed through the spring air while the wind picked up and rustled the trees.

She could almost feel his reproachable look over her, like when she tried to suggest a sky diving experience for their four years anniversary or when she brought five kittens home after finding them in a box. But she couldn't stop, memories from their time together, all those years, came crashing down her mind, making the pain so raw it even hurt to breathe.

"Will you be waiting for me? I know I won't take long. In the end, someone can't live without its heart, right? And you took mine with you, so..." and she smiled sadly, touching the stone with her fingers, feeling the coldness of it under her fingertips, while tracing the symbols of his name.

**_Kurosaki Ichigo _**

She sighed, her eyes lingering, while her old body tried to rise from the ground.

When she walked away, with small steps and her back curved under the weight of her years, two people appeared, taking the repressing-reiatsu cloaks.

"At least the wind helped and she couldn't smell me..." the man said, his orange hair a spiky mane over his head. He had a strange expression on his face, a mix of guilt, sadness, and a bit of contentment.

His companion looked at him strangely, but already accustomed after all those years of friendship, just shrugged her shoulders. When she saw his face she gave him a choice.

"Do you want me to say something to her?" the woman asked. She hoped he would say no, she didn't know how she would face her old friend and watch her crumble.

"Thanks, Rukia, but no. All I have to say I will say face to face."

"_Ichigo!_ You know you can't talk to her! It's one of the rules, no talking with family!" Rukia said, her hands against her hips.

"I know, but you heard her. She won't make me wait too long..." Ichigo said, with vacant eyes. She could only imagine the memories replaying behind his irises.

Rukia didn't say anything else, understanding what he meant. She could feel it too, Orihime would join them soon enough.

"Don't worry, I will be the one bringing her." she promised and the man smiled, relieved. He wanted someone familiar with her in that moment.

"Being a vice-captain has his pros, hein?" he said and she smiled.

"You bet! Now let's go back, before they think I let you stay."

* * *

**_Why couldn't be Ichigo bringing Orihime to Soul Society when she dies? Well, even if he is probably one of the most powerful shinigamis he died recently and just like Rukia says, no contact with the family is allowed before they died_. **

**I know this one was a bit angsty, but the next chapter will be the continuation, where Rukia fullfils her promise and hopefully it will be a bit happier.**

**I hope you liked it and if you felt a bit teary don't worry, while I was writing this I felt like that...**


	7. The day a promise was fulfilled

**This chapter is the continuation of the previous one, after Ichigo died. I hope you enjoy this happier one.**

* * *

_**The day a promise was fulfilled**_

* * *

"Hello Rukia-chan!" a soft voice spoke from a corner of the room and the black haired shinigami looked up with a smile.

"I was observing your photographs…" Rukia replied, touching one of the frames. The photo was taken during Orihime and Ichigo's wedding and Rukia could remember how happy they all were. It looked like that day happened just moments ago, but in reality more than sixty years passed since then.

"Orihime…" Rukia called softly. "It's time…"

"I know…" Orihime said, her long white hair cloaking her like snow freshly fallen. "Will you take me to him?"

"That's what I promised Ichigo…" Rukia answered, her heart beating faster. She could feel the moment approaching, like the wings of a butterfly stopping moving. "Do you want me to call someone?"

"No… I made sure they were all away… I can't bear to see my daughter crying or my son's guilty expression… They are too much like their father, always trying to protect me… _I love them so much_…" Orihime sighed and with a last breathe, her eyelids closed. Her lips released a last puff of air and her cheeks paled. It was like her face was made of stone, her sweet blush no more.

Rukia couldn't stop a tear from escaping and running down her cheek, even if she knew what was laying ahead and how happy her friend was going to be.

"Let's go…" Rukia whispered and extended her hand towards the spirit of Kurosaki Orihime.

* * *

The sun was shining high when the two women stepped into Seireitei.

Orihime tried to shield her eyes with her hand and that's when she saw her transformation. Her hand was no longer wrinkled, but smooth, paler, like when she was younger.

"A special gift for all you did during those years, all the sacrifices, pain…" Rukia said softly, squeezing her other hand. "You look just like when you were twenty five… Ichigo will go crazy!" she laughed and Orihime giggled under her breathe. She looked around, trying to find him, trying to see if he was waiting for her.

"Where is he?" Orihime asked and Rukia looked contrite and at the same time mischievous.

"I didn't tell him… It's a surprise!" her petite friend said, her eyes glistening.

"This is not for one of your romances, right? The ones you were writing to the Shinigami Women Association Magazine…" Orihime wondered and Rukia had the humility of looking ashamed. But not for long…

"C'mon, I want to see his reaction! You didn't have to hear him during the last year grumbling around… Seriously, the man was ready to go and snatch you himself…"

Orihime smiled openly and running towards the source of his reiatsu, some miles outside the center of Seireitei, she felt like she could almost fly. It was so exhilarating being able of running again, especially towards him.

* * *

She found a beautiful house near the outskirts of the town, filled with vases of flowers and bushes. And stopping for a second she tried to regain her senses. She didn't want him to see her all flushed and breathy, even if it was her natural reaction to him.

Orihime walked slowly towards the door and when she was ready to knock on the wood, someone from inside pulled the door open, almost ripping it from its inches.

She was almost knocked down when two strong arms appeared from nowhere and grabbed her, caging her against a hard chest. Orihime sighed, the sense of familiarity invading her and her arms circled his neck, while her nose followed the path from his shoulder until his jaw, making him shiver.

"I missed you so much!" Ichigo said fervently, his lips searching hers in a reverent kiss.

"I missed you too!" Orihime replied against his mouth.

"I missed you too, Hime-chan!" another voice came from behind them and someone hugged Ichigo from behind, squeezing Orihime until she could barely breathe.

"Isshin!" a female voice advised, a mix of exasperation and mirth invading her tone. "The girl is turning blue…"

When she finally was able of regaining her senses, Orihime found herself in front of a beautiful woman with golden hair just like Yuzu's. She had a familiar smile on her face, a smile Orihime woke up to for decades.

"Kurosaki-san!" Orihime said, bowing respectfully, but the woman was having none of that, she grabbed the girl, and just like his son, squeezed her inside her arms.

"So, you are the girl that snatched my son away, hein?" she said playfully, punching her arm softly. "Nice catch, Ichigo!"

"Mooom!" Ichigo whined, a red hue invading his cheeks.

"And call me Masaki, please!" the older woman said, while smiling motherly at Orihime.

"Masaki-san…" Orihime said, with a smile invading her face as well. She hugged the woman again and chuckled. "Your smile is just like Ichigo's! So pretty!"

"Orihimeee!" Ichigo whined again and Isshin laughed.

"My son, now that the two women that know you the best are together, I'm going to have so much fun with them embarrassing you!" Isshin said and Ichigo elbowed him.

Ichigo snaked an arm around Orihime's waist and smiled at his mother.

"But I have to agree with mom, she is the best…" Ichigo said, kissing her temple, the warm of his body sipping through their connected waists.

"Thank you, Rukia, for bringing her back…" Ichigo said, turning around to smile at his friend.

"It was an honor to bring you two here…" Rukia said and bowing, walked away from the family.

"Now, we have much to discuss! I hear you have some great recipes to share!" Masaki said, grabbing Orihime's hand and the two men groaned in desperation.

"What?" Masaki asked.

"Nothing!" both of them said.

"Whipped…" Rukia chuckled under breathe, while behind her, the two women laughed together.

* * *

_**Please review, I love to hear about what you think and what you would like to see in this story! **_


	8. The day Ichigo's day turned from a night

_**The day Ichigo's day turned from a nightmare to a dream**_

* * *

His day was going from bad to worse.

First, he woke up too late and had to leave without eating and barely saying goodbye to his wife and kids.

Second, his car broke in the middle of the road, and since it was daylight he couldn't use his shinigami powers, in case someone saw his unconscious body apparently floating in midair.

Third, when he finally got to work he had to spend two hours in a meeting about his department budget.

Fourth, when he finally reached his desk, five news cases were waiting him, including two gruesome murders that made his stomach churn.

Fifth, a dark note appeared in his desk calling for a meeting with the distinct caligraphy of Urahara.

Sixth... Well, he was still waiting for the sixth...

* * *

When the light entering the windows started changing to a orange hue, Ichigo sighed and looking around noticed he was one of the last to leave. The cons of being the detective chief.

Yawning and stretching, he decided to leave for the day. He worked in all the cases, wrote reports to the closed ones and was able of creating a counter proposition against the budget cuts.

Maybe this day wasn't that bad...

But, only when he left the building all the dark thoughts evaded his mind.

"Ichigo!" an auburn haired woman waved at him, while, two children ran around her legs. The counting immediately evaporated from his mind. _Screw all that! He was with his family!_

"Orihime! What are you doing here?" he asked, afraid he might have forgotten a meeting.

"I knew you were stressed, so the kids and I decided to come and take a walk with you..."

"How did you know?" Ichigo asked, but then he remembered who he was talking to. "Never mind, _you always know.._."

And they smiled at each other, forgetting they were not alone, until two small arms grabbed Ichigo's leg.

"Daddy, can we go to the park?" the girl asked and the man crouched to lift her from the ground and put her over his shoulders.

"Of course, Hanako! What do you think, Katsuo?" he asked, extending his hand so his son could grab it.

"Sure dad! I wanna show you my new football move! The coach said I was good!" Katsuo excitedly said, while his mother walked on his other side, her hand firmly held between the boy's fingers.

Ichigo smiled at her over their son's head, and her face, illuminated by the setting sun, made him breathless. _She was so beautiful!_

"Dad! Are you listening?" Katsuo whined, noticing his father's vacant eyes.

"Yes!" the man replied. He was listening, just not understanding.

"So who was the player I was talking about?"

"Cristiano Ronaldo." the father answered immediately and the boy scowled at being proven wrong. _That was easy_, Ichigo thought, _since it was his son's favorite._

Orihime smiled mischievously at him, catching his strategy.

"Daddy, can you swing me?" Hanako asked, pointing towards the swings.

"I will do it!" Katsuo said and after putting the girl on the ground, Ichigo saw the two ran away.

He sat beside Orihime in one of the benches, his arm over her shoulder and her head resting against his pectoral. He heard a sigh and feeling his curious stare, the woman looked at him.

"I want to freeze this moment." Orihime explained softly.

"But then, we wouldn't know what other good things might come in the future." Ichigo said wisely and Orihime nodded, closing the distance between their lips.

"Mom! Dad! C'mon! Stop that!" Katsuo whined and Hanako giggled.

"But it's cute!" she said and her father flushed. _If there was something Kurosaki Ichigo wasn't was cute._ But it was his daughter and when he saw her smile he would do all the things she characterized as cute just to make her happy.

"Okay, kids! Do you want me to push you?" he asked and the children laughed.

Orihime's grin almost split her face in two while watching her husband playing with their kids.

"Thank you." she whispered, not sure who might be the receiver of those words, only feeling incredible grateful for all the happiness that surrounded her.

* * *

**A simple happy day with the Kurosaki, they deserve some normal moments. **


End file.
